JamesNoBrakes

If you need more instrument time, or to credit simulator time towards a certificate, then you can "log" it, in fact, you can always log it however you want, it's just a matter of what you are going to credit it to. You obviously can't credit it towards something that is "flight time" or understood to be such.

JohnBurke

Yes.

If training is received, the instructor giving the training is required to enter it in your log or training record.

If you use the simulator experience toward a certificate or rating, then it must be logged.

If you use the simulator experience toward a legal requirement (currency, flight review, etc) then it must be logged, and if it's with an instructor, by regulation the instructor must sign your log and also keep a record.

Keeping a record of simulator experience is useful for other purposes, such as showing recent flight training, which can lower insurance rates. It also eliminates needing to keep another record handy if you need to show having met the requirements of a flight review or instrument proficiency check.

Simulator time is not flight time, and shouldn't be recorded as such, nor category/class, or any other classification other than simulator and perhaps instruction received.

In my own logbooks, simulator experience is recorded only in the simulator column, to show training received.

If an N number is issued for the simulator, it should also be recorded. Alternately, another FAA identification for that specific simulator should be referenced, to show it approved.

aviatorpr

thank you all for your responses, all great info

Twin Wasp

Sims don't get an N number, they're not aircraft. The FAA does issue ID numbers. If you're bored, here's the list. Not very up to date because it shows the company I used to work for which went out of business 5 years ago still having a sim.

http://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives...a/All_FSTD.pdf

FlyerJosh

The FAA keeps "inactive" or previously certified but no longer in use sims on that list, so that might be the case with your former company. The list you linked to is current as of January 2, 2013.



This is how I personally log it:

Date: 2/7/2013

Aircraft make and model: BD-700-1A10-S (I add -S at the end of the official aircraft designation so I can break it out from the time in actual aircraft using sort in my excel based logbook.)

Aircraft ID: FAA-1286 (FAA sim ID from the link above)

Route of Flight: Bombardier YUL (I simply insert the training provider and sim location.)

4.0 hours in Simulator Column. (I keep two separate columns for "non-aircraft" time. One for Sim (Full motion Level D) and one for FTD (Frascas, Redbird Sims, fixed base simulators (FAA Level 5), FAA PCATD, etc). I don't log sim or FTD time in any other column than Sim or FTD.

In the notes section, I log the instructor name, title, and the purpose of the simulator training session. (IE: John Doe, Bombardier Sim Instructor, FAR 61.58 PIC Recurrent Sim #2)

I don't bother logging landings or approaches, since the offical training record has much more detailed info about what was covered in each sim period. Those records can serve as legal "logging of experience" from an FAR standpoint if the FAA/FSDO ever wants to see them for currency purposes. They also include sim instructor signatures (to meet the instructor signature requirements of the FAR's for instruction received) so I don't bother having the instructors sign my logbook. I keep those records on file in the same place I keep my logbook.

rickair7777

This is a good idea, I would have done it too if I had thought about it early enough.

JohnBurke

We had an N number for our simulator, and it was referenced in our training and training records.

Twin Wasp

That's interesting, what was the number?

JohnBurke

I don't know, off hand. I'd have to look in my records.

HercDriver130

Shows K4 having a -200 and a -400 sim and a -400 FTD....... th3 -400 sim has been certified since the fall of 2011 and the FTD in the last 8 or 9 months...for are part its spot on.